To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men, either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to regulate by authority. "Fit to govern and rule multitudes." Shak.
To regulate; to influence; to direct; to restrain; to manage; as, to govern the life; to govern a horse. Govern well thy appetite. Milton.
To require to be in a particular case; as, a transitive verb governs a noun in the objective case; or to require (a particular case); as, a transitive verb governs the objective case.
To exercise authority; to administer the laws; to have the control. Dryden.
98,828 entries. Headwords are matched first, then definition text.